A provocative front-page story in today’s New York Times is a talker in media circles. Was the media sexist in its treatment of Hillary Clinton during the campaign and did sexism affect the outcome of the primaries?

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I’m with Candy Crowley of CNN who says there was not sexism in the reporting, but plenty in the commentary. The trouble is the idea of a monolithic entity called “The Media” is too vague; you can’t paint scrupulous reporters and showbiz yakkers with the same brush.

Commentators Chris Matthews, shrill-voiced Pat Buchanan and Tucker Carlson were among the worst offenders, as seen in this video making the internet rounds…

Yet a sharp attack from an unusual quarter gave pause this week when Katie Couric used her anchor post to scold the media for its biased treatment of Clinton. Clearly, this is a woman who’s been on the receiving end of sexist insults and knows whereof she speaks.

Now the narrative moves from charges of sexism to charges of racism as the campaign of Barack Obama progresses. What’s been said about his wife is shameful, but again, it’s only a corner of the cable news world that’s listening.

It’s important that the country is having these conversations. Just be careful to specify which part of the all-encompassing “media” you blame.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.